Chapter 1036
Ludwig II
“Actually… it’s not entirely impossible that someone from the Vendome Family has become a Child of the Moon.”
Sherlock suddenly spoke.
The attention of several people immediately focused on Sherlock.
Old Aragon’s brow furrowed slightly. The man exuded a powerful aura naturally, as if he were displeased.
Eivass rarely saw this kind of temperament in others. It was the same for the princes and princesses of Star Antinomy, as well as Isabel, the cardinals, and even the Pope of the Church… The last person who made Eivass feel this way was the Old Queen of Avalon. Besides her, it was Arthur, whom he had seen during an Ascension Ritual.
Although Eivass did not have a level in the Path of Authority, he could guess that this was the special aura unique to the Path of Authority.
The Old Duke likely possessed a level in the Path of Authority in addition to the Path of Beauty. And it should not be low.
…Wait, Beauty and Authority?
Eivass was slightly stunned by this thought. He suddenly thought of something.
Sherlock continued, “The Child of the Moon cannot cross flowing water, nor can they enter another person’s house without permission. Although the river at the entrance can indeed form a barrier to prevent the Child of the Moon from entering… it can only defend against Children of the Moon who enter by ‘turning into a bat’ or ‘walking on foot.’
“The taboo of the Child of the Moon is embodied in ‘motive.’ They don’t dare to do it, cannot do it, and fear doing it—rather than being ‘unable to do it no matter what.’ Just as Children of the Moon fear flowing water, they can cross national borders by boat… Wasn’t the Fallen Heavenly Envoy subjugation army organized by Eivass previously an example of this?”
“…Indeed.”
Eivass nodded in agreement.
This was the fundamental reason why the Children of the Moon of Star Antinomy had to control the Ministry of the Navy. The sea was a fatal weakness for Children of the Moon, so they had to keep the navy in their own hands.
—This was also the sense of incongruity Eivass had felt when he entered earlier.
Although this river could theoretically block Children of the Moon, relying on it to do so was pure fantasy. It was probably equivalent to adding a security guard at the entrance of a residential area to prevent thieves; it could only be considered as a deterrent. If someone truly wanted to get in, there were plenty of ways—whether by car or by boat, they could pass through this seemingly perfect defense circle.
Rather than a defense to prevent Children of the Moon from entering…
“It’s more like a prison to prevent Children of the Moon from escaping, isn’t it, Duke?”
Sherlock said slowly.
Sherlock, who had recovered his youthful form after ascending to the Fourth Tier, had a radiant gaze at this moment, exuding a power akin to the blazing sun.
“It seems your investigation has yielded results, Mr. Detective.”
Duke Aragon was not angry.
The old man’s bright emerald pupils gazed at Sherlock, and the corners of his tense mouth turned up slightly. “As expected of the famous Sherlock Hermes… why don’t you share the results of that investigation here?”
“…Here, Father?”
Annie sounded uneasy. “But, Eivass…”
She did not want Eivass to be involved.
However, Eivass shook his head silently.
He extended his left hand and gently placed it on the back of Annie’s right hand, which rested on her lap. His attitude was self-evident.
The touch from his fingertips was unexpectedly not young. Even though Annie’s hand was no longer cold after Eivass’s treatment… the blue veins clearly bulging on the back of her hand and the skin that was no longer as delicate as jade proved that she was no longer young.
Annie turned to look at Eivass in surprise. After a few seconds… she suddenly smiled.
As if shedding a great burden, she let out a sigh of relief. Her eyes were slightly moist.
Sherlock, however, paid no attention to this. After obtaining the Old Duke’s permission, he closed his eyes slightly to organize his thoughts and spoke calmly, “As you said, the ‘Third Rebellion’ that occurred in the Iris Kingdom had a hidden third party pulling the strings behind it.”
Hearing this, Eivass and Arsen both turned their gaze to Sherlock, listening intently. This was, after all, the reason Sherlock was “kidnapped.” They had risked getting lost in the Dream Realm and had gone to great lengths to rescue him…
If they couldn’t figure out this matter, or if the secret behind it wasn’t worth it, it would feel like their time had been wasted.
Only Annie seemed not to be listening—she was staring blankly at Eivass, as if pondering something or reminiscing about something.
Eivass asked with interest, “A third party?”
“That’s right.”
Sherlock nodded. “Contrary to what most people understand about history—the ‘Third Rebellion,’ the most famous event in the Iris Kingdom that led to the decapitation of their king and the end of the era of kings and nobles—the primary instigator behind it… was actually the king himself.”
“The essential secret of the ‘Third Rebellion’ was actually a play directed by the last monarch, King Ludwig II, the ‘Mad King.'”
Ludwig II…
That was the name of the last monarch of the Iris Kingdom in Eivass’s memory.
He was obsessed with opera, to the point of madness—in modern terms, he suffered from chuunibyou.
Before he was known as the “Mad King” by the people of the Iris Kingdom, his honorary title was actually the “Swan King.”
It came from a story in an opera called “Lohengrin,” which had a prototype on Earth. The famous “Wedding March” originated from this opera, where the newly married couple met an unfortunate end.
The opera’s main plot involved a mysterious knight, who called himself the Swan Knight, meeting Princess Elsa in a dream. He claimed that if she were ever in danger, she could call him, and he would immediately fly to her aid. Later, Elsa indeed faced a life-threatening crisis. When she called for the Swan Knight, he appeared and easily defeated her enemies.
He was as powerful as a saint, noble, and spotless. Elsa fell in love with the knight who saved her, and the knight was also smitten by the princess’s “beauty.” He was willing to protect her kingdom, defeat all her enemies, and swear eternal loyalty to her, with only one small, singular request: that she never ask his name or his origin.
Elsa naturally agreed to this simple request. However, later, under the constant instigation of others filled with malice and jealousy, she became curious about this question. So, on her wedding night, she couldn’t help but ask.
Thus, the Swan Knight sighed, revealed his true identity in accordance with his oath, and left Elsa forever. He said that if Elsa could have endured for a year without asking this question—only a year—he could have stayed forever. However, before he left, the Swan Knight defeated all the wicked people and enemies around Elsa, performing one last act of protection for her.
—This was a highly acclaimed opera in the Iris Kingdom.
Just as Isabel was captivated by “Lulu’s Magic Flute” in her childhood, the young Ludwig also possessed the talent for the Path of Beauty… which caused him to be unable to escape the curse of this opera for his entire life.
(End of Chapter)
